On the heels of a Pentagon announcement that women will soon fill front line combat positions as part of U.S. special forces, a new nationwide CapitalSoup.com poll documents widespread public support for women being included if a U.S. military draft were ever reinstated.
The poll, conducted by CapitalSoup.com and Mason-Dixon Polling & Research to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the U.S. military draft, found that 59 percent of Americans believe women should be included in a draft, compared to only 38 percent who think they should not. Support for drafting women was strongest among Democrats, women and 18-34 year olds.
More women than men support drafting women, with 61 percent of women in favor compared to 57 percent of men. The survey also revealed an interesting political split, with 80 percent of Democrats supporting it compared to only 40 percent of Republicans. Independents support drafting women by a 53 to 46 percent margin.
“This poll documents a real evolution in public opinion about women serving in combat. It reflects some interesting divides, with twice as many Democrats supporting women in the draft as Republicans,” said Michelle Ubben for CapitalSoup.com. “Clearly women are not shying away from an equal responsibility to serve our country.”
The poll also reveals an age divide, with the strongest support among younger voters and the least support among older voters: 64 percent of 18-34 year olds support drafting women, compared to 47 percent of those 65 and older.
To view the full results and companion infographic or share your opinion, visit CapitalSoup.com.
The survey polled 1,000 registered voters nationwide and was conducted by telephone, on March 27 and 28 and April 1, 2013, by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc. The margin of error on the national results is +/- 3.2 percent.
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